Gezicht op het Katharinaklooster aan de voet van de Sinaïberg 1856 - 1859

Francis Frith made this albumen print of the Katharinaklooster at the foot of the Sinai Mountains in 1857. Frith was one of the first British photographers to travel to the Middle East. His work offers insights into how the region was perceived by Europeans in the mid-19th century. The image captures the stark, imposing landscape of the Sinai Peninsula, emphasizing the monastery's isolation. This reflects the Orientalist fascination with the region as both a biblical land and a place of spiritual retreat. As British influence expanded in the Middle East, photography played a role in documenting and exoticizing these territories for a European audience. To fully understand this photograph, we can examine travel literature, colonial records, and missionary accounts from the period. These resources reveal the complex interplay between religious, political, and commercial interests that shaped the European view of the Middle East. The image reminds us that art is always made within a specific set of social and institutional conditions.